


Don't wanna make it worse (I'm gonna make it work)

by spiromachia



Series: Dream SMP AUs and Cannon Divergence [1]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Mentioned Jschlatt (Video Blogging RPF), Post Festival (Dream SMP), Quackity joins Pogtopia, Sad TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Scars, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, Tubbo's in a coma and Tommy isn't dealing well, War, technoblade is bad at feelings, they're best friends i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27352093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiromachia/pseuds/spiromachia
Summary: He recognised the long pink hair, that he once admired so, tied lazily halfway down, the long crimson cape that fell in waves, almost touching the ground from where the man sat on a wooden stool by Tubbo's bed. Technoblade's head glanced towards them slightly, but the two couldn't properly see his face and it took a moment for Tommy to realise he wasn't wearing his mask. He'd never seen him without his mask before. Curiosity nearly overtook to burning hatred, but not for long, as the man secured it tightly across his eyes again."You're back early," his monotone was like a grate on Tommy's ears, he turned the top half of his body and eyed the two, "And you've brought company.""What are doing here?" Tommy growled, subconsciously stepping in front of Quackity. The older man stood up, meeting Tommy's height and levelling him with an emotionless stare."Checking on him. Didn't want you whining if he woke up alone.""And you thought the best person for him to see would be the person who blew him up in the first place?!"Or...Post Festival, Tubbo still hasn't woken up from his coma. Tommy waits for him to wake up, making a new ally along the way.(Title from Rue by Girl in Red)
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & TommyInnit, Niki | Nihachu & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), No Romantic Relationship(s), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, shipping irl people isnt very poggers
Series: Dream SMP AUs and Cannon Divergence [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2149863
Comments: 13
Kudos: 470
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	Don't wanna make it worse (I'm gonna make it work)

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: there is quite a bit of swearing in this (looking at you Quackity, man's sworn more in this fic than Tommy what is this)

For only a few moments, Tommy couldn't move.

The colourful lights, at any other time would have been beautiful, reds and whites and blues sparking and glowing, embers of shining light drifting away in the wind. Tommy remembered seeing the fireworks from the festival at a distance, watching the wrestling match from the roof of a building, not very well hidden. He remembered Wilbur's sudden self doubt, doubting his plan to destroy it all. He remembered the aching hope that bubbled in his heart. They laughed and mocked and joked, above the conflict, above the war. Maybe things were starting to look up. Maybe one day, they could have become something like brothers again.

But this view was not beautiful.

The worst part of an explosion is always the immediate silence, the few seconds of nothing in between the event and the reaction. It seemed the entire world stopped, stopped for this one moment that would change the world forever.

Maybe if Tommy had paid a bit more attention he would have noticed the slight tremble of Technoblade's hands. Maybe he would have noticed the sweat drip from under his piglin mask. Maybe he would have heard the small, "I'm sorry Tubbo," before he pulled the trigger.

But all Tommy could see was Tubbo. He'd never seen his best friend, no, his _brother_ , so vulnerable, stuck in a yellow, concrete coffin, watching with wide, glazed over eyes as the crossbow was pointed at his chest, tears starting to drip down his face. He didn't even have time to scream before his chest was blown open, sending shockwaves across the podium. Quackity cried out in shock and betrayal as his body was flung off the stage. Schlatt followed not a moment after, holding his arm in front of his face in a fleeting attempt to protect himself.

**Tubbo_ was slain by Technoblade**

**Quackity was slain by Technoblade**

**Schlatt was slain by Technoblade**

And Tommy couldn't move.

It was Wilbur who shocked him out of his stupor, slamming a shaking hand onto his shoulder, "Tommy- Tommy run. Tommy run!" Suddenly he could hear the screaming, the crying, the world was no longer just a high pitched ringing in his ears. Somewhere, he could hear Niki sobbing, Eret shouted out in grief, he could hardly hear his own cry over the sound of sudden horror.

"TUBBO!!"

He didn't think, not even fumbling for a second as he chucked an ender pearl as hard as he could, not allowing himself the moment of disorientation as the pearl shattered on the stage. He shoved past his once-idol, who began to aim down at the civilians bellow with a maniac laugh, straight towards the now blackened box. He couldn't breathe.

What was once his best friend, was now a blackened, ashy mess.

He didn't register the shouting, someone grabbing his arm, someone telling his that they needed to get out. All he saw was red. He turned to the figure who held his bicep in a vice like grip. 

"How could y- How could you?!" He screamed, drawing his netherite blade and lashing out, but the sword shattered in two the moment it made contact with the man's chest.

Suddenly, a fist connected with his face and his head slammed against the cold stone floor, blacking his vision momentarily. He was no longer on the podium in L'man- _Manberg_ , but on the rocky floor of his once peaceful cavern home. _Pogtopia._ A voice rang out in his ears, echoing and engraving itself into his mind. He would never forget the phrase.

"The problem is, Tommy, you're using words. But the thing about this world Tommy," the boy's head raised and stared into the whited out eyes of Technoblade's mask, "is that the only universal language is violence, and we've had the conversation. We've spoken that language, in the pit." Tommy crawled to his knees and stared up, to where he saw Wilbur standing, smug and relaxed, blocking a worried Niki from view.

"It's over Tommy, onto a new day," he could only watch as the red of his friend's (could he even call him that any more?) cape trailed behind him as he clambered out of the pit.

No one said anything, not even turning back to look at him as Tommy's eyes fluttered shut, concussion already setting in and drifting him away.

Tommy bolted upright, breathing heavy and eyes wide. He held his hands to his face, expecting them to covered in dirt and ash but instead found them gently bandaged in multiple layers of white gauze.

Oh.

It had been a week since the festival, he was safe back at Pogtopia (oh how childish the name sounded now) but the memories remained.

He laid under the warm red blankets of his bed, protecting him from the grey of the cold, stone walls, the same as they'd always been, decorated with crafting tables and old redstone blocks, a reminder of a different time, before the festival announcement, when he joked around and pulled pranks and-

_("Come on Wil, let me out, you know I have severe claustrophobia, Wil, Wil!")_

Before Wilbur lost it.

He breathed deeply, pulling himself from the sheets of his bed and dragging himself upright, only to hear the muffled sounds of pattering footsteps approaching the door. A figure appeared in the gap in the stone, hair tied up in a messy bun and eyes filled with worry.

"Tommy!"

"Hey Niki," his voice was rough. He distantly wondered why.

"You were screaming."

Oh. That was why.

"Sorry," Tommy mumbled, reluctantly pulling himself out of bed. Niki was under him in a heartbeat, wrapping her arm around his waist and gently helping him up.

"You need to rest," she muttered, but continued to help him hobble out of his room and into the open of the ravine. As soon as he regained his balanced, he silently thanked her, removing himself from her embrace. She reluctantly let go.

The ravine was cold, colder than he remembered it being. Some spots were worse than others, chilling him the bone, untouched by the light of the torches and lanterns strung from the ceiling, but he never found it in himself to care, the once warm and friendly atmosphere had never truly recovered from the events of _that day._ His brow furrowed at the sound of quiet chatter from deeper in the cave. As the two approached the noise, Tommy continued to remain silent, even as he heard the tail end of their conversation.

"All I'm saying is that here's been no sign of Dream since the festival, the bastard's probably run off to plot some sort of scheme," Wilbur growled, paranoia gripping his voice.

"You're thinking too deeply into this," Technoblade sighed, grabbing multiple gardening tools from a chest. Since the festival, he hardly spent any time away from his underground farm and for that Tommy was somewhat grateful, not having to see the man's face. Not grateful enough, however.

"I don't think you underst-" Wilbur stopped as he noticed Tommy and Niki in the doorway, "Ah, you're awake."

Technoblade took one look at Tommy and took that as his cue to leave, disappeared down a narrow pathway in the wall. There was a time in Tommy's life where he would have given anything to farm with the mighty Blade, but _oh, how times change_. Tommy sat at a makeshift table and waited. It was usual routine at this point. He'd wake up (often crying), Niki would bring him down into the open area, make him some food, then Tommy would sit by Tubbo's bed for the rest of the day, watching and waiting.

Tubbo still hadn't woken up yet.

It had been a week since that day, yet Tubbo still showed no signs of waking. Despite the respawn, which was already a tough and scary process, something about Tubbo's death screwed up, now they were only left with his silent body. They found him lying on his bed, completely unresponsive to the world, fresh scars marring his skin and whitening his one bright blue left eye. One whole week later, he wasn't any different. But either way, Tommy stayed by his side, hopeful that one day soon, he would wake up. He _would_ wake up.

And he wanted to be there when it happened.

)()()(

Niki forced him to go outside.

She came into his room one morning with a determined expression, helping him up onto his feet like normal, only to look him dead in the eyes and say, "Tommy, you've been inside for too long. When was the last time you left this place?" 

Both Tommy and Niki knew the answer.

She'd given him a backpack with a bottle of water and a small packed lunch consisting of a small sandwich (it made a good change from the usual baked potato, he hated the reminder that Technoblade was still in their ranks) and an apple, ensuring that he had his netherite armour and sword in his inventory, before she sent him out.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?"

He noticed a small burn scar on her shoulder, where her shirt had fallen down slightly.

Tommy nodded.

It turned out that getting outside was just what he needed. Although it pained him to be away from his best friend's bedside, when he could wake up at any moment, he knew he needed to get out, to do _something_. Tommy always needed to be doing something, whether it be training for the championships (he distantly wondered if the other players even noticed their absences), mining for materials to support the revolution, going hunting for food when the stocks ran low. Feeling the wind whip around his hair as his horse galloped through the trees was just the comforting familiar that he missed from the woods, racing across the hills and up towards L'manberg.

He saw a bee hive.

His grip on the reins tightened.

As he made his way around the borders of his once-home, he heard the distant sound of yelling, two male voices fighting loudly and aggressively. Curious, Tommy pulled his horse to a stop and tied it up onto a nearby tree branch, sneaking closer on foot. 

"No! Fuck you man, I helped build this!" he heard an accented voice cry out.

"Well now we're taking it down," he heard another snap back.

"Don't I get a say in your decisions? I'm the vice president! You would have no power without my coalition!" the first voice shouted.

Tommy came up to side of a mound of grass and laid low. Across, he saw Quackity and Schlatt, Schlatt holding a netherite pickaxe in hand, Quackity standing in front of a damaged White House, both of them equally bandaged. 

"Oh come on, flatty patty, what are you gonna do? Cry about it?" Schlatt taunted, shoving past his vice and swinging his pickaxe, shattering the glass of the White House window. 

"No! Actually stop man!" Quackity cried, pulling the horned man away from his destruction, "I helped build this!" he repeated.

"Come on, your president has just woken up from a coma and the first thing you do when you see him is try to boss him around?" Schlatt smirked and Tommy stilled. Upon closer inspection, he could see the edges of scar tissue peaking up from under his bent shirt collar.

"You were only out less than a day, Schlatt!" Quackity rebutted, Tommy noticed one half of his face was slightly pinker than the other, "I've had to drag myself out of recovery for this shit!"

"Maybe if you did a better job at protecting yourself, you wouldn't have hit your head that hard and got half you face blown off. Obviously someone doesn't have their priorities straight. Stop complaining and help me take this thing down!" the dark haired man, again, began to break apart the walls of the building.

Quackity seemed to snap.

It only took a moment, he pulled out a bow and quickly loaded it, holding it to his colleague's back, "Do you know what? Fuck you," Schlatt turned around and balked slightly, before relaxing his shoulders and smiling viciously.

"You don't have the guts."

"Fuck you!"

"Do it pussy! Or are you just a coward? Why don't you-"

The man was cut off by an arrow to the chest.

"Fuck you!" Quackity growled again, "Jus- just fuck you! I quit."

The older man's body collapsed onto the floor, already beginning to poof out of existence as the respawn process began. Tommy gasped quietly. Quackity chucked his bow onto the floor and stormed off into the woods, seething angrily. Rushing to his feet, the teen near sprinted back to his horse, eager to catch up with the newly-not-vice-president.

He lost sight of the 19-year-old for only around half a minute before he saw a recognisable beanie sticking out from behind a tree. He supressed the urge to snort at the action. Noticing he had been spotted, Quackity slowly crept out from his awful hiding place with a nervous expression and hands clutching a netherite sword. Up close, Tommy could see how the right half of his face was marred, skin angry and inflamed. Scar tissue. One of his normally dark brown eyes was now pale.

"Tommy?"

"Hey," he attempted to sound casual, "Why'd you just run off. Why are you in the woods Big Q?"

Quackity huffed out a laugh and Tommy took that as a win, watching as the other scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Listen Tommy, listen, you and me? We gotta- we gotta talk, we gotta fucking talk man," he dragged a hand down his scarred face.

"It's been a while, Mr Vice President," Tommy said cautiously.

"It's fucking been a while," Quackity replied before shaking his head slightly, "No, no, not vice president anymore, it's- it's uhm... Listen, he... Schlatt's an asshole, that's all I'm gonna say, that's all I'm gonna say right now, Schlatt's a piece of shit."

"Why, what's happening?" Tommy asked, gaging his response.

"He- he took down the White House and he's gone all power crazy, absolutely insane. It's just- nothing's working out, we have major internal issues," he trailed off. Before the silence got awkward, Tommy tried something.

"Yeah, I was wondering 'round and I heard some screaming, and- and were you crying?" he teased, watching Quackity wheeze out a laugh.

"No! No, I wasn't crying, no I wasn't fucking crying but Schlatt- Schlatt was bawling his eyes out," and Tommy nearly laughed at that, hearing the playful way his old friend joked.

He allowed himself to smile for a moment.

"Listen Tommy, I gotta- I gotta drop it out real quick. I wanna overthrow Schlatt."

Tommy tensed up. Before he could say anything, Quackity continued.

"I wanna overthrow him, I'm vice president, and you might know the rules of politics, if the president dies, the vice president takes his place, I wanna fucking, I wanna overthrow him, man."

Tommy took two calculated steps closer to him, but the other man didn't seem to notice, too busy ranting.

"He's being a dick, he's not following- he's not following the rules, he's always undermining me, hell, I get out of hospital after being in a coma for nearly a week and the first thing he does is try to make me take down the White House that _I_ _built_ and I'm done. I'm not doing it anymore," Quackity finally looked up at him and balked, not noticing how much closer Tommy had gotten.

"What are you saying Big Q?" Tommy made sure his face was carefully blank, which seemed to unnerve the other.

"You-you, I mean, you got kicked out of L'manberg, and I know I-," Quackity hesitated for a moment, "I know I took part in the decision, but you know, if- maybe- maybe we could... work together, or something? I don't know."

Tommy wanted to faint, the hope in his chest began to rise again, that childish hope that everyone around him had tried to stomp out. Here was someone, right in front of him, both proving Wilbur correct and disproving him, proving that people are willing to backstab and betray, proving that people would always be on their side, that they weren't the bad guys. All he could see was a 19-year-old, only a teenager not that much older than himself, with half his face wrecked by an explosion.

He had the same blinded eye as Tubbo.

"Big- Big Q, if you're gonna ask, just fucking ask," Tommy's chest felt full. Of hope? Of loss? Who knew.

"...help me kill Schlatt," Quackity looked more determined than the teen had ever seen him.

"Is that just what you want? Or do you wanna- are you even _in_ Manberg now?" the new name sounded foreign on his tongue, "If you want it, you gotta ask, you can't be indirect with me. No more lies," Quackity would never know how much that last part meant to him.

"What are you gonna make me get down on my knees and beg? Are you gonna help me or not?" the other seemed frustrated, yet confident, "I have a concrete plan and I'm gonna do it with or without your help, Tommy... but I think it would be of much benefit if we worked together."

Tommy's mouth was dry, "Do you- do you wanna join Pogtopia?"

Quackity looked him dead in the eye, face steeled in a cold expression, the expression of a man with nothing left to lose.

He sighed.

"Yeah. I wanna join Pogtopia."

)()()(

Tommy lead his newly found ally through the woods, pulling his horse by the reigns along behind him as Quackity tried to fill the silence with jokes and comedy, trying to make the boy laugh. Nothing worked. Ever since the festival, Tommy had just been tired. So damn tired that his once loud self had become quiet. Subdued. Quackity seemed to notice this.

"Hey, dude. You okay?" he finally asked and Tommy repressed the urge to sigh.

"Of course big man, of course," but it didn't sound genuine.

"I haven't seen you this upset in... ever, really," Quackity's face was etched with uncharacteristic concern.

Tommy stared at him a for a few moments, "I- this is the first time I've left the base since the festival. I guess it just kinda sucks, in Pogtopia right now."

"Is it bad?"

And he didn't know how to respond to that. How was he supposed to tell him that Will had gone off his mind? How was he supposed to tell him that tensions were running high and that no one trusted each other? How was he supposed to tell him that Tubbo still hadn't woken up yet? 

"Yeah."

He didn't elaborate.

As they reached the entrance to Pogtopia, and Tommy tied his horse up, he broke through the vines and entered, holding the plants back for Quackity, who followed on like a lost duckling. Immidiately, he got the reaction he was expecting at the small, stingy room. Disappointment. 

"Really? _This_ is Pogtopia?" Quackity squinted, as if doing so would let him see some secret door, "I was expecting something more, you know, fancy?"

"Oh shut up," Tommy nearly snapped, already hopping down the stone cut stairs, ushering his new companion to follow him. As they came to the bottom, he heard Quackity gasp, and his chest welled up with pride.

" _This_ , my friend, is Pogtopia," Tommy announced, stealing small glances at the older, who had moved further inside.

"Wow," the dark haired man stared in awe at the place, reaching his hand out to touch the stone walls of the cavern, eyes filled with an emotion Tommy couldn't describe, "This is... bigger than I expected."

"Of course it is, bitch," Tommy smirked, "We don't half arse things down here."

"Woah," Quackity repeated, already looking around.

"We've got loads down here, we've got training grounds, an automatic potato farm," designed by Tubbo, "a nether portal, a-"

"What's this?"

Tommy turned to see Quackity peering curiously down into a deep cut in the wall. He felt his stomach drop.

"I mean, what does this do? It's just a chunk taken out of the floor," he laughed, before turning to face Tommy, smiling, "What's-" the smile froze on his face, "...Tommy? You good?"

"I-" he found that his mouth was dry again, "That's-" the sound of grunts and snarls and yelling and _pain-_ "That's the pit."

"Wh- why do you need a pit Tommy? What's it for?" he asked, the ghost of a laugh on his lips.

"... Like I said, things are bad here. Have been, since the festival," he pulled Quackity away by the arm, not looking into his eyes, "Don't worry about it... it stays in the pit."

_It would never stay in the pit._

If Quackity wanted to ask what that meant, he didn't, although Tommy could almost feel his gaze burning through his back as they continued to pace through the length of the ravine, until they came to a specific room.

Tubbo's room.

Tommy took a shaky breath.

"Big Q," the other hummed in response, too busy staring at the hanging lanterns above him, " _Quackity,_ " now _that_ got his attention, his head snapping up, their eyes locked, "There's something I need to tell you."

"Uhh, sure man, what is it?"

_How was he supposed to say this?_

"You know how you said you were in a coma?"

"After the festival, for four or five days, yeah. Why?"

"You know how Tubbo took the brunt of the damage?"

Quackity swallowed.

"...yeah? Wha-what are you saying Tommy."

They stared at each other, and Quackity looked as stressed as he did on the day of the festival, a nervous smile forced onto his lips, begging for Tubbo's life to be spared. Tommy forced himself to be blunt.

"Tubbo hasn't woken up yet, Big Q."

Neither of them moved. Above them, particles of dust swayed down from the ceiling, lightly dusting the chests and tables scattered around. 

"He-"

"No."

"It's been-"

"Yeah, a whole week."

"And he still hasn't-"

"Not yet."

Quackity looked at him with pained eyes, opening and closing his mouth in shock. Tommy couldn't find it in himself to feel anything. He was so tired.

"Can... can I see him?"

The blond teen's face had never been blanker.

"Sure, Big Q."

The room was the same as it had always been, granite and cobblestone walls thrown together as a last minute resort, a small lantern hanging from the ceiling by a chain, dully illuminating the room, multiple crafting benches and furnaces, a small potted plant on the bedside table. Tubbo's body laid silently, unmoving, the same as he always was, eyes closed so he might have been sleeping, if not for the pale markings along his face. There was only one difference today.

There was someone else in the room.

Tommy stopped at the entrance and immediately his anger flared. He recognised the long pink hair, that he once admired so, tied lazily halfway down, the long crimson cape that fell in waves, almost touching the ground from where the man sat on a wooden stool by Tubbo's bed. Technoblade's head glanced towards them slightly, but the two couldn't properly see his face and it took a moment for Tommy to realise he wasn't wearing his mask. He'd never seen him without his mask before. Curiosity nearly overtook to burning hatred, but not for long, as the man secured it tightly across his eyes again.

"You're back early," his monotone was like a grate on Tommy's ears, Techno turned the top half of his body and eyed the two, "And you've brought company."

"What are doing here?" Tommy growled, subconsciously stepping in front of Quackity. The older man stood up, meeting Tommy's height and levelling him with an emotionless stare.

"Checking on him. Didn't want you whining if he woke up alone."

"And you thought the best person for him to see would be the person who blew him up in the first place?!" Tommy cried.

"...why is the vice president in Pogtopia, Tommy?" Technoblade asked, peering over the boy's shoulder.

"Schlatt's a dick and I want to help take him down," only Quackity noticed as Techno's eyes lingered on his face for a moment too long, something unrecognisable in his eyes.

"Stop trynna change the subject you fucking-" Tommy started, only to feel his arm being tugged back.

"Come on man," Quackity flustered, patting Tommy on the arm, "It's fine."

"It's not fucking fine-"

"I'm up and I'm leaving," Technoblade raised his hands in fake surrender, probably knowing that he could take both of them with his hands tied behind his back. His face still betrayed no emotion as he walked past, out into the open of the ravine, grabbing an iron hoe and pouch of potato seeds and stalking off to his underground farm.

The two remaining Pogtopians stood in silence.

"Wow... when you said tensions were bad..." 

"Yeah. It's bad."

"I thought I was going to die all over again," Quackity laughed quietly, "That man is so intimidating."

"They call him Blood God for a reason," Tommy replied, "...you're allowed to be angry at him, you know. He fucked up your face," 

"Rude! I'll have you know I look better than ever, thank you very much!"

The teen barked out a loud laugh. But only one.

Suddenly, Tommy's ears picked up a small whine, and his head snapped to the bed, where Tubbo's face scrunched up in pain.

"Tubbo-" Tommy whispered in shock, but Quackity was already by his bedside, wincing at the scarring on the boy's face.

"He's only sixteen," Quackity's eyes were filled with sadness, "He shouldn't... he shouldn't have to go _through this_."

"Neither should you. Hate to break it to you buddy you're only three years older," Tommy crouched down beside him, "Come on Tubbo, come on... I know it hurts but please."

"Yeah, come on Tubs," Quackity's smile was watery, "You can do it man, I believe in you."

"T 'urts..." the brunette managed out, voice raspy from disuse, and Tommy nearly burst into tears.

"Tubbo!"

"Not too loud," the other hissed, "God knows I had a killer headache when I woke up... heya Toob."

"Mm," he tried to flutter his eyes open, "'urts..."

"I know Big T, I know it hurts but you need to wake up," Tommy's eyes were glazed with tears, "Please..."

Tubbo's eyes flickered opened and Tommy felt at home.

"Where... where am..?"

"You're back in Pogtopia, it's okay," Tommy closed his hand around Tubbo's and held it gently. Slowly, he felt weak fingers clasp around his own.

"M' eye... I can't... I can't _see_."

Oh.

"You can't see at all?" Quackity asked, fear lacing his voice.

"No," Tommy said, "It'll just be his right eye, the one that's really pale?"

Tubbo nodded, "Yeah, I can see out of one, just not-" he was cut off by a bad coughing fit, it sounded like his throat was being torn out and Tommy winced. Quackity handed the boy a glass of water, to which he took it in his hands gratefully and began to drink slowly.

With only one eye, he would never be able to shoot a bow again. 

And Tommy wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, he'd be less of a target in war, after all. Maybe Wilbur would let him off from fighting.

He was pulled out of his thoughts as Quackity gently pushed Tubbo down onto the bed again, _'When had he gotten up?'_

"Woah there, you need to rest," the man hushed, patting the boy on the shoulder reassuringly. 

"No, 'eed to... we need to go back- need to stop him..."

"Stop who?" Quackity asked.

Tommy tried to keep his smile stable, of _course_ that was the first thing Tubbo thought of when he had just woken up from a coma, "It's okay Tubbo, you don't need to go back, it's fine."

"Is it... is it gone? Is Manberg gone? Did he do it?"

Both Quackity and Tommy tensed.

"No, no! Manberg's fine, Tubbo!"

"Ye-yeah, Toob. Why wouldn't it be?" Quackity smiled sadly and Tommy realised.

He still didn't know.

This probably didn't make any sense to him. He didn't know about the plan to destroy Manberg. He didn't know that Wilbur had gone insane. He didn't know that Techno held the power to create multiple beings of destruction with wither skulls and soul sand. _He didn't know how much danger he was in by being here._

"Cause Wil's gonna... wait, Quackity?!" Tubbo's eyes shot open completely, "What are you doing here?!"

"I'm joining Pogtopia, baby!" Quackity grinned from ear to ear, "Heard you guys needed some allies."

Instead of looking happy, like Quackity had probably been expecting him to, Tubbo looked at Tommy with nervous eyes.

"Does Wil know?"

Tommy swallowed.

"Not yet, Quackity only joined like, a couple of hours ago."

"Oh..."

"Yeah..."

"How are you gonna tell him?" 

"I don't know Tubbo, I don't know."

Quackity just looked confused.

"How long have I been out?"

"A week."

"Has he done anything in the meantime?"

"No he hasn't-"

"Tommy," the teen stared into his friend's eyes, filled with determination," You _promised_ to tell me if he did _anything_ again."

_Oh._

The day after that they returned from the Schlatt's announcement, the day after Wil had finally snapped, and the day that Tommy told Tubbo about the plot to destroy Manberg, Tommy had arrived by the tunnels with a red, hand shaped mark on his face.

_("Tommy, you have to promise me that you will tell me if he does anything like this again," Tubbo's face was grim, his mouth fit in a straight line. They sat on their bench, alone, Cat playing solemnly in the background._

_"I promise, Tubbo," Tommy sighed, rubbing his hand against the heat of his left cheek._

_"Does... does Techno know?"_

_"No, and even if he did, I don't think he'd care."_

_"What makes you say that?"_

_Tommy sighed in frustration, "Techno has made it clear, since day one, that he is only here for the rebellion. He's here for chaos, Tubbo, not out of the goodness of his heart."_

_"But didn't you say he was like a brother to you?"_

_"I... I don't think he ever thought of me as a brother, Big T. I don't think any of them did.")_

"No! No, he hasn't done anything, Tubbo. He's just been sulking like an angsty teen cause his plan didn't work out."

"What happened?"

"Couldn't find the button."

"Ah."

"What button?! Can someone please explain what's going on!" Quackity yelled. Tubbo winced, and Quackity sent him an apologetic look.

Tommy stared at him. Quackity just looked tired, bandages wrapping parts of his hands and arms, sticking out from under his business suit, bags under his eyes. But he looked fierce. Determined. Tommy had seen that look. He'd seen it on Wilbur during the rebellion, he'd seen it on Niki after the festival, he'd worn it himself during his duel with Dream.

"I..." he looked between his two friends, both looking at him like he was a leader. Their leader.

_("You're never gonna be president Tommy.")_

"We're on our own here, just us... you, me, Tubbo and Niki against the world. We're on our own."

"But- but what about Wilbur a-and Techno?" the dark haired man asked, eyes widened slightly.

Icy blue stared into dark brown and grey.

"Not anymore Big Q. Not anymore."

Outside the room, just out of the trio's vision, a farmer listened in with his teeth gritted, an unused iron hoe held in a white knuckle grip.

If he wasn't adorning his mask, you might have even seen something like regret in his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> In cannon, Technoblade is just here for the chaos and it is a similar situation here, but the difference is that here he has lost the respect of the kid who he's gotten used to following him around. He enjoyed killing the citizens of Manberg, but regrets the consequences slightly.
> 
> (Why does his chest ache when he hears Tommy say that he no longer trusts him?)
> 
> Tubbo and Tommy friendship SUPREMACY.
> 
> Also Quackity supremacy (HE DON'T KNOW NOBODY!!!)
> 
> Hope you enjoyed :D


End file.
